The university offers a wide range of undergraduate, post-graduate, and doctoral programmes and various institutes in Punjab are affiliated with the Punjab University.[4]

Approximately 30,000[1] enrolled students are currently attending the university, the PU has total of 13 faculties within which there are 63 academic departments, research centers, and institutes.[1] The Punjab University has ranked first amongst large-sized multiple faculty universities by the HEC in 2012.[5] There are also two Nobel Laureates amongst the university's alumni and former staff.[1] Additionally, the university is also a member of Association of Commonwealth Universities of the United Kingdom.[6]

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The University of the Punjab was given its initial impetus by Wood's despatch in 1854. Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner was the founder of the university. Contrary to the three previously established universities, which were only examining institutions, the University of the Punjab was both teaching as well as examining body right from the beginning.

From its formation in 1882 until 1947, the University of the Punjab served the educational needs of the entire region of pre-independencePunjab and northern India. Mohindra College, Patiala was the first college of higher learning to affiliate with University of Punjab in 1882; followed by St. Stephen's College, Delhi. The independence of Pakistan in 1947 reduced the geographical jurisdiction of the university, as it was split into two separate universities in the respective countries. The Indian portion of the university is referred to as Panjab University. The current Institute of Administrative Sciences was created in 1962.

Many major institutions that were previously affiliated to Punjab University have now become independent universities on their own, such as Government College University, Lahore and Medical and Engineering Colleges. [7]

The University of the Punjab is divided into several campuses across Punjab with one summer campus located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa:[2]

Allama Iqbal Campus: also known as the old campus, located in the centre of Lahore, it is named after the great South Asian thinker and mystic poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal. The campus houses the Senate, the Syndicate, the Selection Board and the Advanced Studies & Research Board are generally held there.[8]

PU

Location in Lahore (Quaid-i-Azam Campus)

Quaid-i-Azam Campus: also known as the new campus, it is named after the founder of Pakistan and is located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) to the south of the Allama Iqbal Campus. Spread over an area of 1,700 acres (7 km2) of lush green landscape this campus is the centre of academic and administrative activities of the university. A canal divides the academic blocks from the student lodgings.[9]

Gujranwala Campus: the faculties of Commerce, Economics and Management Sciences, Law and Science all conduct teaching in the campus.[10]

Khanspur Campus: the summer campus is located at a height of about 7,000 ft (2,100 m) in the Himalayan range near Ayubia. This campus, in addition to providing research facilities, is also used as a recreational center for the faculty and the students.

Jhelum Campus: having recently opened in 2012,[citation needed] it offers studies relating to the faculties of Commerce, Economics and Management Sciences, Law and Science.[11]

At present PU has 28 dorms 17 for male and 11 for female students. Most of these students are accommodated in the dorms at the Quaid-e-Azam Campus. Total number of hostel residents is 6961.

On-campus housing facilities include 89 houses for teachers and University officers and 249 houses for junior staff of the University. About forty houses and eighty single accommodations are available in the various student hostels that are occupied by Wardens, Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents. The University plans to build more houses for the academic faculty and other employees. A bachelor teacher's hostel provides accommodation to the younger members of the academic staff. A guesthouse within the Residential Colony and the guestrooms in the Student-Teacher Center provide accommodation to the academics visiting the University. [12]

There are 13 faculties in the University with 10 constituent colleges, over 73 departments, centres, and institutes. It has over 808 permanent faculty members involved in teaching/research and over 36,000 on campus students.:[13]

Punjab University Library is one of the biggest libraries among the universities of Pakistan. The library has more than 500,000 collection of books, magazines and periodicals. This collection is in nine different national and international languages and different types as print material, CDs, DVDs, Microfilms, Microfiches, Video and Audio Cassettes and Manuscripts.[citation needed] Punjab University Library has beautiful two-storey building and total area of the building is 102,000 sq. feet. There are reading halls in both ground and 1st floor with approximately seating capacity of 2500 readers. The library has internet lab for the students to research according to the new technologies of 21st century. In the library there is computerised "MLIMs" catalogue for searching material.[14]